In many instances it is important to verify and make of record the fact that couplable elements such as electrical connectors, medical device components, mechanical elements, and the like are properly connected. This need is particularly important with regard to safety equipment such as airbag deployment controls, life support equipment, alarm systems, and the like. Toward that end the prior art has implemented a number of solutions based upon electrical, electromechanical, and optical systems for inspecting and verifying the status of such couplable elements.
Bar code technology is widely used for optically encoding data in a machine-readable form. In a bar code system, a pattern of indicia having differing degrees of reflectivity for a scanning wavelength of light is disposed so as to form a pattern which encodes data. In some instances, the pattern is comprised of a plurality of alternating light-reflecting and light-absorbing bars, which have given a generic name to this technology. Such stripe-based systems are now referred to as one-dimensional or 1D bar code systems. In other instances, more complex patterns of indicia are utilized, and while they are generically referred to as bar codes, they do not have defined bars, but rather comprise a more complex matrix. Such bar codes are referred to as matrix codes, two-dimensional codes, or 2D codes. In further instances, bar code patterns may comprise a plurality of differently colored indicia, or indicia having preselected degrees of reflectivity (gray scale). In the context of this disclosure, as well as in the relevant art, all of such codes are referred to as “bar codes”.
Since bar code technology allows for the rapid, noncontact scanning of machine-readable data, the prior art has made attempts to utilize such technology for the purpose of verifying the status of electrical connector elements; however, prior art approaches have encountered a number of limitations. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,902,244 and 5,558,873 both show an electrical connector system which utilizes a bar code reader to verify coupling of the connectors. In the disclosed systems of these two patents, one member of the electrical connector, typically the male member, has a body of light-absorbing material, typically black paint, disposed thereupon. A second member of the connector pair, typically the female member, includes a number of slits formed therethrough. When the connector is assembled, the light-absorbing material formed on the first connector member shows through the opening slits in the second member. In this manner, the two members cooperate to form a bar code which can be read by an optical scanner. The system of the '244 and '873 patents is limited in its use and applicability since neither of the coupling elements displays any machine-readable code prior to being connected together; the code pattern is only formed after connection. As will be explained in detail hereinbelow, this limitation prevents any optical data collection prior to coupling of the elements. Furthermore, this approach requires a very specific configuration of connectors insofar as the elements thereof must be configured to allow for the formation of the through slits and the disposition of the body of light-absorbing paint. Furthermore, the fact that this approach requires the forming of a plurality of precision openings in one of the connector elements complicates the manufacturing process and precludes changing the bar coded data without making significant changes in tooling and processing.
As will be explained in detail hereinbelow, the present invention provides a bar coding system which allows for the verification of the connection status as well as the nature of connectable elements. The system of the present invention provides bar code segments each of which includes machine-readable data and which may be used in cooperation to verify the appropriate connection status of the coupler pair as well as to identify the nature of the two members which are coupled. The present invention differs significantly from, and provides advantages over, prior art systems such as those of the '244 and '873 patents. These and other advantages will be apparent from the drawings, discussion, and description which follow.